WILLEMSTAD–Royal navy vessel Sr. Ms. Van Speijk intercepted 1,600 kilos of cocaine on a freighter heading to the Dominican Republic.
It was the second drug seizure for the current station ship to the Dutch Caribbean in two weeks. On Christmas Day its helicopter detected the suspect cargo vessel sailing under Tanzanian flag.
A law enforcement team from the United States (US) Coast Guard then boarded the ship to search it. That did not yield any immediate results.
The freighter was subsequently chained in Santo Domingo. During further searches the drugs were found on New Year’s Eve in a space between the fuel tanks.
The ship, drugs and crew were transferred to Dominicano authorities.
Van Speijk is currently conducting anti-drug operations in the region. On December 22, the naval ship had already intercepted 550 kilos of cocaine aboard a speedboat.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/72380-navy-ship-intercepts-1-600-kilos-of-cocaine
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